Queens Boulevard Maintenance Work Will Remove Manhattan-bound E and F Local Track From Service

A major track renewal and component replacement project along the Queens Boulevard Line will require Manhattan-bound E and F customers boarding at local stations between the Sutphin Boulevard (F) and 75th Avenue (E, F) stations to back-ride Queens-bound trains and then change for Manhattan-bound trains at non-affected stations. This will add about ten minutes to a rush-hour trip.

This service pattern will be in effect for nine days, beginning April 7th. The track closure will be in effect 24 hours a day as the tracks and support equipment are completely replaced with new ties, tie blocks, plates and rails.

Using as a foundation the success of our FASTRACK program in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, MTA New York City Transit is launching another efficiency-based track improvement initiative. In this case, a section of track will be closed over a brief period of consecutive days rather than for a long series of weekends. Performing the project in this manner reduces the time needed to complete work and limits its impact on riders.

The first effort will begin this weekend with the closure of the Queens Boulevard Line’s Manhattan-bound local track between the Parsons Boulevard (F) and 71st Avenue-Forest Hills (EFMR) stations. The closure will be in place from midnight on Saturday, April 7th to 5 a.m. on Monday, April 16th.

Previously, this type of track work would extend over many weeks, with closures taking place over a series of weekends. At times when the tracks were available, trains would move through the work area at reduced speeds throughout the length of the project, decreasing the number of trains we could operate, increasing crowding and slowing trips.

“Performing the work in this manner will allow us to complete this project over nine consecutive days which will enable the work to be done more quickly and less expensive,” said MTA NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast.

“We regret the inconvenience that this will cause, but it is of relatively short duration compared with an expanded number of weekend closures,” Prendergast added.

All Manhattan-bound trains will bypass the Sutphin Boulevard (F), Briarwood-Van Wyck Boulevard (EF) and 75th Avenue (EF) stations while this work is underway.

E and F riders at 75th Avenue wishing to travel towards Manhattan must board a Queens-bound train, travel to the Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens station and transfer to a Manhattan-bound train.

E and F riders at Briarwood-Van Wyck Boulevard must board a Queens-bound train and travel to the Jamaica-Van Wyck (E) or Parsons Boulevard (F) stations to transfer to a Manhattan-bound train.

F riders at Sutphin Boulevard (F) must board a Queens-bound train and travel to Parsons Boulevard (F) to transfer to a Manhattan-bound train.

Notices have been posted informing customers of the temporary service changes and announcements are being made on trains and in stations throughout the subway system about the service changes. Service diversion notices are posted on the service advisory page of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s website, http://travel.mtanyct.info/serviceadvisory.